


Dancing on my own

by toomanystoriessolittletime



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Karaoke, Songfic, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:49:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22303045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanystoriessolittletime/pseuds/toomanystoriessolittletime
Summary: When Tom went out to the pub with some friends, oblivious that it was Karaoke night, he wasn’t expecting to find himself in awe of the singing of a local woman whose eyes hold the same sadness he was feeling.
Relationships: Tom Hiddleston & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	Dancing on my own

It had been one of those days. He had been woken up by the stage manager telling him that tonight’s performance had to be cancelled due to a water damage in the theatre which would have to be fixed. After hearing that he had decided to spend the rest of the morning in bed, not like his usual routine. Getting up, take a run, shower, breakfast which mostly consisted of a coffee and some porridge. 

It was already close to 10 am when he woke up the next time. This time because his dog was getting rather inpatient to get outside. Sighing he got up, putting his running clothes on and made his way outside. It was pouring. London was famous for it’s weather but today had to be an exception. He was drenched to the skin when he got back home. Shuddering he made his way upstairs to the bathroom looking forward to a hot shower.

He spend his whole day in sweatpants and with a book on the couch. Not really wanting to get outside. It hadn’t stopped raining ever since he woke up. But when some of his friends he hadn’t seen due to his theatre run in the last months invited him to the pub just down the street, he couldn’t say no. That he didn’t have to think of what to get for dinner was a big bonus.

“You have invited me to karaoke night?” Tom shook his head laughing as he sat down. The pub was packed and thankfully the table his friends had decided on, was in the far back.

“We didn’t know.” Clara who he met back at Drama school said, lying rather badly.

“You seem to forget I know exactly when you’re lying, dearest.” Tom joked, making her grin. Tom let his eyes wander through the room. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a whole day spending doing nothing. Or the last time he had a weekend of for that matter. And it was only Saturday.

“So, how you’ve been? You’re quiet hard to get to in the last weeks.” Arthur, one of his oldest mates began.

“It’s been great. The production of the play is doing good. There are even talks on bringing it to Broadway.”

“Broadway!” George exclaimed as he stepped to the table, more drinks in his hands, that he should be able to carry. George was Clara’s husband. Sitting down George spread the drinks on the table, before he leant in to kiss his wife. Tom adverted his eyes, for it looked so intimate, he had to gather his thoughts. When was the last time, someone looked at him the way his friends looked at each other? He caught the eyes of a woman at the other side of the room, who seemed to be listening to something rather uninteresting she was told by the man next to her. Something about her didn’t let him look away. Was it the way she tried to look like she was following the conversation in front of her? The way her fingers where playing with a lock of her dark hair? Was it her eyes that were basically screaming at him with the sadness in it…

“Tom?” He heard his name being called. He turned his head to look at his friend, who was looking at him expectantly.

“Pardon?” Tom said, having not followed anything of the conversation that had taken place. Arthur sighed.

“Where did your mind go just now?” He asked, looking in the direction, Tom had been looking at. Tom turned his head back to the woman, only to see that she was gone. Had she been there in the first place? Shaking his head he chuckled to himself, before he finally talked to his friends.

  
  


“We can go, you know?” Her brother suggested. She was thankful for him, dragging her to the pub. She always wanted to be alone on this day. And for the last 4 years he had never let her. And she was thankful for it.

“After you dragged me here?” A small smile crept to her lips.

“I’m just saying…” Her brother shrugged. “I know how much you hate this day.”

“I despise this day. That’s a difference.”

“I saw him the other day, you know.” He said. She gulped, before she picked up her glass, taking a big sip. It was ridiculous. Here she was. 32 years old, still hanging on to a guy she had left 4 years ago. Exactly 4 years ago. After she had seen him together with his wife and child at the mall, how she found out later. They hadn’t even known each other for that long. But she had fallen so hard for him, it felt like in the moment she had met his gaze, his son on his shoulders, he had ripped her heart out and taken it with him. His eyes as he saw her back then, were engraved in the back of her mind, haunting her dreams. Nodding she looked at her brother who began to talk, but she didn’t listen. Letting her gaze wander through the packed pub her eyes caught the gaze of a man sitting in the far back of the pub. It was the sadness in his eyes that made her stop. The same sadness, she felt. She wasn’t able to look away. She didn’t know if it was seconds, minutes or hours they looked at each other, before he turned his head to look at the man beside him.

“You’re next.” She felt her brothers hand on her arm, looking at her with a small smile. Nodding she got up and walked to the stage.

  
  


“Ah. I think it’s starting.” Clara said excited. Tom looked questioningly at her. She pointed to the stage.

“The Karaoke.” She explained.

“Ah…” Tom nodded, turning around in his seat to face the stage. A man he knew as the owner of the pub was standing at the mic.

“It’s Karaoke night. So for all of you people who aren’t drunk enough yet, please help yourselves to it.” Laughter was heard.

“And before you are all to drunk to appreciate real talent, here’s our first one. A regular. Miss Isabella McGregor.” Loud cheers were heard and Tom raised his eyebrow.

“I love her.” Clara said.

“You know her?” Tom asked. She shook her head.

“Not personally. But she’s astonishing. Her voice could easily fill arenas. She’s a regular here.” Tom nodded and turned his head to look towards the little stage again.

The woman his eyes had found a mere moments before stepped to the mic with a smile on her face, as she silently thanked the man introducing her.

“Heya. I know you all want to have a nice evening out and you are allowed to do that in just under four minutes after this song. I just need to get this out of my system. So please bare with me.” Isa said, earning a few laughs and whistles.

“As long as you sing, we are all gonna have the greatest evening, dear.” Someone shouted making her smile thankfully. She nodded toward Joe, the pub owner, who started the playback. Closing her eyes she breathed in deep.

_Somebody said you got a new friend  
Does she love you better than I can?  
It’s a big black sky over my town  
I know where you at, I bet she’s around  
Yeah, I know it’s stupid  
I just gotta see it for myself_

Tom knew the song. He heard heard it a couple of times on the radio. But something about the way she was singing it….

_I’m in the corner  
Watching you kiss her  
Oh oh oh  
and I’m right over here  
Why can’t you see me?  
Oh oh oh  
and I’m giving it my all  
But I’m not the girl you’re taking home  
Ooh ooh ooh  
I keep dancing on my own _

She had gripped the microphone with her hands when she ended the first chorus. Tom was breathing hard. Tears burning in his eyes.

_I’m just gonna dance all night  
I’m all messed up, I’m so outta line  
Stilettos on broken bottles  
I’m spinning around in circles_

Isa opened her eyes before the second chorus. Smiling she looked at Joe who had a hard time suppressing his tears.

_I’m in the corner  
Watching you kiss her  
Oh oh oh  
and I’m right over here  
Why can’t you see me?  
Oh oh oh_

_I’m giving it my all  
But I’m not the girl you’re taking home  
Ooh ooh ooh  
I keep dancing on my own_

Letting her gaze wander through the room, she found the eyes of the man again. And again not being able to tear her eyes away from him she continued to sing, not trying to hide the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks.

_So far away, but still so near  
The lights go on, the music dies  
But you don’t see me standing here  
I just came to say goodbye_

_I’m in the corner  
Watching you kiss her  
Oh oh oh  
I’m giving it my all  
But I’m not the girl you’re taking home  
Ooh ooh ooh  
I keep dancing on my own _

Something in her eyes changed as she sang. The sadness that he had seen was slowly fading, replacing it with what Tom thought could only be described as happiness. Tom felt the tears in the corner of his eyes, and didn’t try to hide them. He had never seen or heard someone living words just as she did with the word she was singing.

_I’m in the corner watching you kiss her  
Oh oh oh  
I’m right over here  
Why can’t you see me  
Oh oh oh_

The crowd was singing with her, which made her smile wider than she knew possible. She loved these walls. Here she felt at home. Tearing her eyes from the stranger she let her view wander through the room seeing all the faces in front of her, singing with her. This. This is what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

_  
I’m giving it my all  
But I’m not the girl you’re taking home  
Ooh ooh ooh  
I keep dancing on my own_

Loud cheers erupted the pub as the song ended. Tom jumped to his feet with the crowd, cheering ecstatically, the tears still visible on his cheeks as her eyes found his again. The sadness was gone and she looked happy. It was the look Tom preferred to see on her face. She nodded at him gratefully, before she waved at the crowd one time, thanking them and left the stage.

“She’s a regular here?” Tom asked as he turned around to face his friends again. Clara nodded.

“She’s friends with Joe the owner. She had been here everytime at Karaoke when we have been here. I always wonder why she hasn’t released music herself. She’s…”

“perfect.” Tom ended Clara’s sentence. She nodded.

It was a week later Isabella found herself in front of the Harold Pinter theatre. She had been trying to get tickets for “Betrayal” ever since she found out it would come back to stage, it being one of her favourites. Straightening the green dress she had decided to wear, she made her way inside of the theatre. By some miracle her friend had gotten her a ticket for the front row. Holding on to her glass of champagne she sat down, waiting for the play to start.

Once the lights were out, she put down the glass under her seat, crossing her legs as the actors stepped on the stage. She knew this play was popular due to it’s cast, but she didn’t care for that. She had heard the names before, but couldn’t put a role to the faces she had seen plastered outside the theatre.

She was a big fan of Pinters work, and this play had only the best reviews.

However when her eyes found those of the man playing Robert, she couldn’t hide the surprise in recognizing the man from the pub the week before. His face hard as he stood at the far end of the stage, leaning on the wall, a glass in his hand, while Jerry and Emma talked in front. She could see him looking at the crowd, barely stopping at her face, before she looked back at the scene in front of her.

Isabella was stunned by the simple production of the play. Robert and Emma were now sitting close to the edge of the stage, the wall behind them, as Robert finally asked.

ROBERT: How long?

EMMA: Some time.

ROBERT: Yes, but how long exactly?

EMMA: Five years.

ROBERT: Five years?

Pause. Isa could see the shock on his face, his eyes filling with tears.

Ned is one year old.

Pause.

Did you hear what I said?

EMMA: Yes. He’s your son. Jerry was in America. For two months. *

Silence. Isabella could see the tears on his cheeks as he nodded. She was sitting right in front of him as she looked up, tears in the corner of her own eyes, as she saw the heartbreak in his.

Tom watched her sitting in the front row as he stood in the background while Charlie and Zawe were speaking. She seemed to hang on to every word. He even could see her moving her lips as she quoted the play. He has never been more thankful to be an actor as in the moment he had seen her sitting in the front row, as he stepped out on stage. When he had looked at her, and she back at him, he could also see the surprise in hers. The whole night he kept glancing back at her, when he wasn’t due to talk, just linger in the background, like he was doing now. Seeing her cry, sitting right in front of him, as Robert finally learns of the betrayal of his wife and best friend, made his heart ache. The same sadness in her eyes as the week before. Tom hadn’t much time to think of it more in that moment, he had to finish the play. Maybe he would find her afterwards to talk to her.

He didn’t. It was close to 11 pm when he finally walked down his street. She wasn’t one of his fans, waiting for him after the play, to get an autograph or photo, and that made him feel relieved for some reason. Hugging himself due to the cold, he walked by the pub, when he had an idea. If she was a regular, maybe she would be….

“Joe wanted me to sing this one. And you’re all in luck. I went to see a play like 2 hours ago. It was called Betrayal and I feel like I should dedicate this song to the betrayed Robert. May he find his happiness. Somewhere.” Isabella grinned, taking a big sip of her beer, before she sat down at the piano and began to play.

Tom stopped in the door as he heard her speak, as smile creeping to his face. Yes. Robert deserved to find some happiness.

_But after all is said and done  
You’re gonna be the lonely one_

_Do you believe in life after love_  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don’t think you’re strong enough, no

Tom laughed as the crowd joined in, and yes. He sang too. She had pulled off her heels, as she sat, playing the piano, and singing with a smile on her face. He hadn’t been this fascinated by a woman he hadn’t talked a single word to in a long time. Her dark read hair that had been neatly laying on her shoulder during the play, now was made up in a messy bun. She directed the crowd to sing, as she focused on only playing the melody laughing happily as she looked around. Joe, the owner was standing behind the piano on the other side, singing loudly.

The song ended with an ever louder cheer than Tom had heard the week before. And he joined in. Why didn’t he go to the pub earlier? Or more often?

He saw her bowing to the crowd on stage, before she picked up her shoes and went to the bar. Tom had made up his mind in exactly this moment. Walking towards the bar he stopped behind her. How was she this small? Seeing her on stage, he thought she would be taller. Maybe it was her presence, because she just so reached his shoulders with her height.

Coughing he straightened his back, as she turned around.

Isa just had taken her tea from Joe’s hands as she heard someone cough behind her. Setting the cup down, she turned around and looked up at the face of the man she had seen on stage only a couple hours before. Now being so close to him as she looked up, she could see how handsome he was. Sharp cheekbones under his stubble, little wrinkles around his blue eyes, surely coming from laughing. He seemed like someone who really enjoyed to laugh.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you if I could invite you for a drink?” Tom asked looking down at her. Her brown eyes looking up at him expectantly. Being so close, he could see the faint freckles all over her face she tried to cover up with her make up.

“Sadly I just got my drink. I haven’t even started it yet.” She said sighing, Tom’s face fell slightly.

“But I wouldn’t mind for some breakfast.” She said making Tom look at her in surprise.

“I…” Tom was speechless. She enjoyed the surprised and clueless look in his face, as she began to laugh.

“What I meant was, Joe here serves all day breakfast, and I am hungry.” She clarified, making Tom laugh relieved. For a second there he thought…

“Well who am I to argue with a starving beautiful woman?” He asked before he pulled off his coat and held out her hand to help her hop on the bar stool. She grabbed his hand and tried to hide her goosebumps running up her arms, as she felt his fingers on her skin. Tom sat down beside here as she waved at Joe.

“We’re having to English breakfasts.” Isa said. Joe shook his head laughing as he looked first at Isabella and then at Tom.

“And for you?” Joe asked. Isabella turned in the seat, to find him looking at her with a small smile.

“Apparently I’m having breakfast. I’m having a scotch on the rocks with it though.” Tom said. Joe only nodded and let the two of them alone.

“I didn’t catch your name.” Isabella said as they looked at each other.

“Tom.” He said, holding out his hand. She smiled, before she took his hand.

“Isabella, but you may call me Isa.” She introduced herself smiling. And this time both of the sadness in their eyes where gone as they may have found someone to finally move on.

_* Passage from Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal”_


End file.
